Adjustable shelves for vertical freezers



July 19, 1966 c. R. DlLL ETAL ADJUSTABLE SHELVES FOR VERTICAL FREEZERS Filed Oct. 26, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 19, 1966 c. R. DILL ETAL ADJUSTABLE SHELVES FOR VERTICAL FREEZERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 26, 1964 United States Patent 3,261,179 ADJUSTABLE SHELVES FOR VERTICAL FREEZERS Charles R. Dill and William J. Hebbeler, Evansville, Ind., assignors to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 26, 1964, Ser. No. 406,325 12 Claims. (Cl. 62-382) This invention relates to shelf structures and in particular to shelf structures for use in cabinets such as freezer cabinets and the like.

In cabinets such as freezer cabinets and the like, it is desirable to provide readily adjustable shelves to accommodate articles of various sizes. Further, it is desirable to provide such shelves in thermal transfer association with the cooling means of the freezer apparatus so as to provide for rapid freezing of articles placed on the shelves. Heretofore, no completely satisfactory adjustable shelf structure providing the desired freezing characteristics has been available. The present invention comprehends an improved shelf structure which provides the above discussed desirable features in a novel and simple manner.

Thus, a principal feature of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of a new and improved shelf structure for use in referigeration apparatus cabinets.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a shelf structure having new and improved means for effecting thermal transfer association between the refrigeration means of the apparatus and articles carried on the shelf structure.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a shelf structure having new and improved means for adjusting the position of the shelves therein.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of such a shelf structure having new and improved means for placing the shelf structure in direct thermally conductive association with the refrigeration means of the apparatus.

A yet further feature of the invention is the provision of such a shelf structure for use in a refrigeration apparatus provided with a cabinet having an upper, horizontal wall, a rear, vertical wall and side vertical walls, shelf structure comprising refrigeration means, a frame juxtaposed to the refrigeration means, means securing the frame and refrigeration means as a unit to the cabinet and juxtaposed to the upper wall and rear wall thereof support means defining a plurality of vertically spaced, shelf carrying elements, means securing the support to the frame and refrigeration means unit, and a plurality of shelves each having a first mounting portion removably carried by a shelf carrying element of the support means and a second mounting portion removably carried by a horizontally aligned shelf carrying element on the cabinet.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of such a shelf structure comprising evaporator coil means having an upper, horizontal portion and a rear, vertical portion, a frame having an upper, horizontal portion and a rear, vertical portion juxtaposed to the evaporator coil means, means securing the frame to the evaporator coil means, means securing the frame and evaporator coil means to the cabinet with the upper portion of the evaporator coil means juxtaposed to the upper wall of the cabinet and the rear portion of the evaporator coil means juxtaposed to the rear wall of the cabinet, a support defining a plurality of vertically spaced, shelf carrying elements, means securing the support to the frame, means constructed to be mounted on the side walls of the cabinet for defining a plurality of shelf carrying elements horizontally aligned with the shelf carrying elements of the support, and a plurality of shelves each having a first mounting portion removably carried by a shelf carrying element of the support and a second mounting portion removably carried by a horizontally aligned shelf carrying element on the cabinet.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of such a shelf structure wherein the evaporator coil means and frame each includes a lower horizontal portion and the support is secured to the lower horizontal portion and retained against movement from the upper horizontal portion.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a shelf structure wherein the support is removably carried on the frame.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section of a refrigeration apparatus having a shelf structure embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary exploded isometric view of the shelf structure;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section illustrating in greater detail a portion of the structure shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken substantially along the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary front elevation with portions of the apparatus broken away taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the line 9-9 of FIGURE 6.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawing, an apparatus 10 herein comprising a refrigeration apparatus such as a vertical freezer includes an insulated cabinet 11 having a rear vertical wall 12, a left vertical side wall 13, a right vertical side wall 14, an upper horizontal wall 15, and a lower horizontal wall 16 defining therebetween a refrigeration space 17. Space 17 is selectively closed by a suitably mounted door 18.

As shown in FIGURE 1, a shelf structure generally designated 19 is provided in the upper portion of space 17. Shelf structure 19 comprehends a new and improved structure providing for facilitated adjustment of a plurality of shelves 20 (shown in FIGURE 2) in thermal transfer association with an evaporator coil 21 which is disposed inwardly of the liner 22 defining the inner surface of the cabinet walls. Below shelf structure 19 in space 17, additional shelves 23 may be provided, each of which shelves is disposed in heat transfer association with an evaporator coil structure 24.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, evaporator coil 21 includes an upper horizontal portion 25, a rear vertical portion 26, and a lower horizontal portion 27. As best seen in FIGURE 5, the evaporator coil extends in serpentine fashion. The shelf structure 19 includes a frame generally designated 28 having an upper horizontal portion 29, a rear vertical portion 30, and a lower horizontal portion 31. The frame 28 comprises a plurality of wires 32, as best seen in FIGURE 5, spaced laterally apart and having a C-shaped longitudinal extent, as shown in FIG- URE 3. Each of the wires 32 defining the frame 28 may be secured to the evaporator coil 21 as by spot welding at the points of crossover between the wires 32 and the coil 21, whereby the evaporator coil and frame define a rigid assembled unit wherein conductive thermal transfer is provided between the coil and the frame. In this respect, it is to be understood that suitable conventional means may be employed for passing refrigerant fluid through the evaporator coil means 21 in the conventional manner. In the illustrated embodiment, the frame 28 extends substantially completely across the freezer space 17, as shown in FIGURE 5, with the left-most wire 32a being juxtaposed to the left side Wall 13 of the cabinet 11 and the right-most wire 32b being juxtaposed to the right side wall 14 of the cabinet. The forward end 33 of the upper portion 29 of each wire 32 is upturned and the forward end of the lower portion 31 of each wire 32 is provided with a trim strip 34 which extends fully across the space 17, as shown in FIGURE 5, with the opposite ends thereof resting on a pair of brackets 36 carried on the side walls 13 and 14, respectively, to support the shelf structure 19. As shown in FIGURE 8, the shelf bracket may be secured to the cabinet wall by means of a suitable screw 36a and is provided with a recess 36b adapted to receive the outboard wire of the frame portion 31 which in the left-hand section illustrated in FIG- URE 8 comprises wire 32a. In addition, the assembled evaporator coil and frame structure is secured to the upper wall 15 and rear wall 12 of the cabinet 11 by means of a plurality of screws 37 and cooperating spacers 33 spacing the evaporator coil 21 slightly from the cabinet walls.

The shelves 20, as best seen in FIGURE 2, comprise a plurality of parallel spaced rectilinear wires 39 secured in spaced relationship by a rear transverse wire 40, a forward transverse wire 41 and a trim strip 42 at the front end of the wires. Each of the transverse wires 40 and 41 extends outwardly from the left-most wire 39a and the right-most wire 3%.

Extending vertically through the center of the space defined by the C-shaped evaporator coil and frame structure is a support 43, as best seen in FIGURES 2 and 5. The support includes an outer generally rectilinear wire frame 44 having a lower wire 45, an upper wire 46, a front vertical wire 47, and a rear vertical wire 48. The lower wire 45 is formed with a pair of eyes 49 and the upper wire 46 is provided with U-clips 50 projecting upwardly therefrom. A plurality of horizontal support wires 51 extend between the front wire 47 and rear Wire 48 in vertically spaced positions and a plurality of upright reinforcing wires 52 may be provided to extend from the upper wire 46 to the lower wire 45, with wires 51 and 52 being suitably joined at their crossover points as by welding. Each of wires 51 is provided with a pair of dips 53 defining sockets for receiving a distal end of each of the shelf wires 40 and 41, as illustrated in FIG- URE 2.

The other distal end of each of the shelf wires 40 and 41 is removably retained in suitable grommets 54 mounted in the side walls 13 and 14 of the cabinet 11, as best seen in FIGURES and 9. As illustrated in FIGURE 9, the grommets comprise annular structures each having an annular groove 54a adapted to receive 2. turned edge 22a of the liner 22 defining an opening 22b through which the respective grommets are inserted in the cabinet side walls. The ends of the wires 40 and 41 extend into a central bore 54b of the grommet (as illustrated in FIG- URE 9, the end of wire 41 is so disposed).

T o lock the shelves against lateral displacement in the sockets 53 and grommets 54, each of the wires 40 and 41 is provided adjacent its ends with depending stops 40a and 41a, respectively. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 9, the stop 41a limits the right-hand movement of the wire 41 and prevents the opposite end of the wire from moving outwardly of the socket 53. Alternatively, the stops at the left-hand end of the wires 40 and 41, as shown in FIGURE 2, prevent movement of the wires to the left outwardly from the grommets 54.

The grommets 54 are horizontally aligned with the clip sockets 53 of the support wires 51 so that when the 0pposite ends of the wires 40 and 41 are received in the horizontally aligned sockets the shelf 20 will be automatically positioned in a horizontal disposition, as illustrated in FIGURE 5.

The support 43 is secured in the frame 28 to position the sockets 53 in the above described horizontally aligned relationship with the sockets 54 in the cabinet walls by securing the lower wire to a pair of plates secured to the lower frame wires 31 as by spot welding. As best seen in FIGURES 5 and 7, the plates 55 may extend across four of the wires 32 to provide a strong support. The frame Wire portion 45 is secured to the plates 55 as by suitable screws 56 extending through the eyes 49 and into the plates 55, as illustrated in FIGURE 7.

The upper end of the support 43 is retained against disassembly from the coil and frame unit by means of the U-clips 56 which as illustrated in FIGURE 4 project upwardly between the spaced central Wires 32 of the frame. Thus, each of the lower wire portions 45 and upper wire portions 46 is in thermal conductive association with the evaporator coil 21 through the interconnecting frame wires. Similarly, each of the shelves is in thermal conductive association with the evaporator coil as they in turn are in thermal conductive association with the horizontal wires 51 of the frame connected to the upper wires 46 and lower wire 45 by the front wire 47 and rear wire 48.

Each of shelves 20 is readily repositionable in the shelf structure 19 by simply lifting the portion of the shelf adjacent the central support 43 to raise the distal end of the wires 40 and 41 upwardly from the sockets 53. The shelf is then moved angularly upwardly so as to withdraw the opposite end of the wires 40 and 41 from the grommets 54 in the side wall of the cabinet 11. To install the shelf at any desired position provided by the respective sockets and grommets, the user merely inserts one end of the shelf into the selected grommets 54 and brings the opposite end of the shelf down into the sockets 53 of the support While concurrently moving the wire ends longitudinally into the grommets 54.

It should be noted that any of the shelves may be interchangeably used as right-hand shelves or left-hand shelves as each of the opposite ends of the Wires 40 and 41 is selectively insertable into either of the sockets 53 or 54, thereby affording further improved adjustability of the shelf structure. As the central support 43 is removably secured to the frame 28 the support may be removed for maintenance purposes as desired together with the shelves.

The entire shelf structure 19 is extremely simple and economical of manufacture, while yet providing the highly desirable advantages of facilitated adjustability and improved thermal conductivity for improved heat transfer between articles placed on the shelves and the refrigerating means of the apparatus.

While we have shown and described one embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu sive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a refrigeration apparatus provided with a cabinet having an upper, horizontal wall, a rear, vertical wall, and side vertical walls, shelf structure comprising:

evaporator coil means having an upper, horizontal portion and a rear, vertical portion;

a frame having an upper, horizontal portion and a rear, vertical portion juxtaposed to said evaporator coil means;

means securing said frame to said evaporator coil means;

means securing said frame and evaporator coil means to the cabinet with said upper portion of the evaporator coil means juxtaposed to the upper wall of the cabinet and said rear portion of the evaporator coil means juxtaposed to the rear wall of the cabinet;

a support defining a plurality of vertically spaced, shelf carrying elements;

means securing said support to said frame;

means constructed to be mounted on the side walls of the cabinet for defining a plurality of shelf carrying elements horizontally aligned with said shelf carrying elements of said support; and a plurality of shelves each having a first mounting portion removably carried by a shelf carrying element of said support and a second mounting portion removably carried by a horizontally aligned shelf carrying element on the cabinet. 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said means securing the support to the frame comprises means for removably securing the support to the frame.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said frame comprises a plurality of horizontally spaced wires.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said support comprises a plurality of vertically spaced wires.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said support cornprises a plurality of vertically spaced wires and said shelf carrying elements comprises sockets formed in said wires.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein said frame is secured to each of said evaporator coil portions.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said means for securing said frame and evaporator coil means to the cabinet includes spacer means for spacing the evaporator coil from the cabinet walls.

8. In a refrigeration apparatus provided with a cabinet having an upper, horizontal Wall, a rear, vertical wall, and side vertical walls, shelf structure comprising:

frame means having an upper, horizontal portion, a rear, vertical portion, and a lower, horizontal portion;

means securing said frame means to the cabinet with said upper portion of said frame means juxtaposed to the upper wall of the cabinet and said rear portion of said frame means juxtaposed to the rear wall of the cabinet;

a support defining a plurality of vertically spaced, shelf carrying elements;

means securing said support to said frame means;

means constructed to be mounted on the side walls of the cabinet for defining a plurality of shelf carrying elements horizontally aligned with said shelf carrying elements of said support; and

a plurality of shelves each having a first mounting portion removably carried by a shelf carrying element of said support and a second mounting portion removably carried by a horizontally aligned shelf carrying element on the cabinet 9. The structure of claim 8 wherein said means securing the support to the frame comprises means for removably securing a lower end of the support to said lower portion of the frame and means for retaining the support against movement from said upper end of the frame when the lower end of the support is secured to said lower portion of the frame.

10. In a refrigeration apparatus provided with a cabinet having an upper, horizontal wall, a rear, vertical wall, and side vertical Walls, shelf structure comprising:

refrigeration means;

a frame juxtaposed to said refrigeration means;

means securing said frame and refrigeration means as a unit to the cabinet and juxtaposed to the upper wall and rear wall thereof;

support means defining a plurality of vertically spaced,

shelf carrying elements;

means securing said support to said frame and refrigeration means unit; and

a plurality of shelves each having a first mounting portion removably carried by a shelf carrying element of said support means and a second mounting portion removably carried by a horizontally aligned shelf carrying element on the cabinet.

11. In a refrigeration apparatus provided with a cabinet having an upper, horizontal wall, a rear, vertical wall, and side vertical walls, shelf structure comprising:

refrigeration means;

a frame juxtaposed to said refrigeration means;

means securing said frame and refrigeration means as a unit to the cabinet and juxtaposed to the upper wall and rear wall thereof;

support means defining a plurality of vertically spaced,

shelf carrying elements;

means securing said support to said frame and refrigeration means unit;

means constructed to be mounted on the side walls of the cabinet for defining a plurality of shelf carrying elements horizontally aligned with said shelf carrying elements of said support means; and

a plurality of shelves each having a first mounting portion removably carried by a shelf carrying element of said support means and a second mounting portion removably carried by a horizontally aligned shelf carrying element on the cabinet.

12. In a refrigeration apparatus provided with a cabinet having an upper, horizontal wall, a rear, vertical wall, and side vertical walls, shelf structure comprising:

refrigeration means;

a frame having an upper, horizontal portion and a rear, vertical portion juxtaposed to said refrigeration means;

means securing said frame to said refrigeration means;

means securing said frame and refrigeration means to the cabinet with said refrigeration means juxtaposed to the cabinet;

a support defining a plurality of vertically spaced, shelf carrying elements;

means securing said support to said frame;

means constructed to be mounted on the side walls of the cabinet for defining a plurality of shelf carrying elements horizontally aligned with said shelf carrying elements of said support; and

a plurality of shelves each having a first mounting portion removably carried by a shelf carrying element of said support and a second mounting portion removably carried by a horizontally aligned shelf carrying element on the cabinet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,292,015 8/1942 Schweller 624-65 X 2,298,052 10/1942 Harbison 62465 2,473,503 6/1949 Collins 62-329 X 2,758,455 8/1956 Anderson 62-382 LLOYD L. KING, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A REFRIGERATION APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH A CABINET HAVING AN UPPER, HORIZONTAL WALL, A REAR, VERTICAL WALL, AND SAID VERTICAL WALLS, SHELF STRUCTURE COMPRISING: EVAPORATOR COIL MEANS HAVING AN UPPER, HORIZONTAL PORTIONS AND A REAR, VERTICAL PORTION; A FRAME HAVING AN UPPER, HORIZONTAL PORTION AND A REAR, VERTICAL PORTION JUXTAPOSED TO SAID EVAPORATOR COIL MEANS; MEANS SECURING SAID FRAME TO SAID EVAPORATOR COIL MEANS; MEANS SECURING SAID FRAME AND EVAPORATOR COIL MEANS TO THE CABINET WITH SAID UPPER PORTION OF THE EVAPORATOR COIL MEANS JUXTAPOSED TO THE UPPER WALL OF THE CABINET AND SAID REAR PORTION OF THE EVAPORATOR COIL MEANS JUXTAPOSED TO THE REAR WALL OF THE CABINET; A SUPPORT DEFINIG A PLURALITY OF VERTICALY SPACED, SHELF CARRYIG ELEMENTS; MEANS SECURING SAID SUPPORT TO SAID FRAME; MEANS CONSTRUCTED TO BE MOUNTED ON THE SIDE WALLS OF THE CABINET FOR DEFINING A PLURALITY OF SHELF CARRYING ELEMENTS HORIZONTAL ALIGNED WITH SAID SHELF CARRYING ELEMENTS OF SAID SUPPORT; AND 